Adelaide group Heaps Good Friends have been heating up like a warm hug.
The band released their debut single ‘Let’s Hug Longer’ at the start of last year scoring themselves triple j airplay, a slot at last year’s Groovin The Moo and national support with Brisbane band The Jungle Giants. Now they’re gearing up to release their debut EP.
The band formed when synth player Nick O’Connor met singer Emma Fradd at a youth arts programme. “I was working for Carclew Youth Arts as a music coordinator for youth projects,” Nick says.
“We did this project in Port Pirie and she was a participant. We made music in the Old Gladstone Gaol, this old, closed-down jail. We spent the week making music and stop-motion animation.
"Emma played me some of her songs on the last day and they were crazy and we recorded them. And then ten years later we’re still friends, still writing.”
Emma moved overseas, still writing with Nick through email. When she returned to Australia, she moved to Brisbane and kept emailing Nick returning regularly to Adelaide to work on music. It was during one of these sessions they wrote ‘Let’s Hug Longer’ and everything clicked.
They’ve since released two more singles, gained drummer Dan Steinert, and are readying for the March release of their debut EP, ‘Hug Me’, which they will be touring in support of. “It’ll be our first time to run around and play on our own terms on our first headline tour,” Nick says.
“The Jungle Giants tour was a dream come true and such a pleasure to do, but that was definitely their tour and we were just visitors. It’ll be fun to go and run the shows and meet the people. It’s going to be a good time. It’s like a big hug.”
Before their tour, Heaps Good Friends will perform at Supermassive, the closing event of the Adelaide Fringe’s kids precinct Grounded, joining the likes of Sarah Blasko and Frente. “Emma has always looked up to Sarah Blasko. I think she weed when she found out we were going to play with her,” Nick jokes.
“It’s sort of like the family friendly vibe is a fun end of the Heaps Good-gradient. That positive vibe works very well with everyone, which is the point. It’s really nice that someone is making events like Grounded with such killer events like Supermassive within it.”
The future looks bright for Heaps Good Friends. Their synth-pop tunes will be a blast live, and the promise of a good hug will surely entice audiences to see them. “I’m pretty sure that hugs are probably the best things ever. They’re pretty safe and if you do them right you can have a very positive exchange.
“If they’re good, though, holy moly! You can really go in there and give and receive until one’s soul is content. There’s enough boo hoo going on in the world, enough difficulties, enough tragedies. We don’t need to add to that pile. So, let’s put on a happy tempo and hug it out.”
Heaps Good Friends play Supermassive as part of Adelaide Fringe at Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga (Adelaide) 25 February.
Heaps Good Friends Tour Dates
Fri 23 Mar - The Hills Are Alive (Victoria)Sat 24 Mar – The Workers Club (Melbourne)
Thu 29 Mar – Black Bear Lodge (Brisbane)
Wed 11 Apr – Beach Road Bondi (Sydney)
Thu 12 Apr – Rad Bar (Wollongong)
Fri 13 Apr – Small Ballroom (Newcastle)
Sat 14 Apr – The Chippo Hotel (Sydney)
Fri 20 Apr – Rocket Bar (Adelaide)
Sat 21 Apr – Jack Rabbit Slim's (Perth)
